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Completely new RP player looking for advice?

I have not done a spot of official RP in my life, just getting that out right now. But I have been increasingly intrigued with the whole RP concept. Sometimes I even walk into the Pony and listen to all the players for a while. I would like to start RPing, but have no idea how. Big thing, how does everyone do the whole custom chat thing combined with emotes (sometimes) that displays in the grey chat like when one is doing an emote? Any experienced RPers that could help me out?

Night is falling,
So ends this day.
The Road is now calling
And I must away.

These are just some things I do. I started RPing about 26 years ago, in person at tabletop games (uphill in the snow, both ways), then went to MUSHing (text, real-time online RPG), and then to MMOs. The first thing to know is that, even for someone like me, who's been on Landroval since launch, any time I make a new alt, it takes a while to get it into the RP. So, #1 is patience.
I actually changed my /say and /emote chat to bright yellow, for higher visibility.

The emotes are just us typing something like: /e walks into the Pony, then heads over to the bar. "I'll have a cider, please." He hands Butterbur the coins, in exchange for the drink, then turns to observe the patrons.

To be fancy, you could include an animation by overwriting the text: /drink takes a swig of the cider, then observes the other patrons.

The basic emote for RP on Landroval is the full combined action/dialogue from basic writing. For me, especially in the Pony, I use this formula:
/e <action of the character> <optional: attribution to another character> , "<character dialogue>"

/e leans back against the barrel, then replies to CharacterB, "Did you see the brawl in here, last night? Arion threw a bench at them."

For Laurelin, the RPers there break it down to doing /e for non-verbal actions only, and then a /say for the talking.

I don't play on Laurelin, so I don't know the setup there, but on Landroval, we have several styles of RP.

Light/Music: The players aren't bothering much with the lore or plots, and are just some character playing music, dancing, or coming to lightly chat. Game mechanics might be stressed. Example, if their character drinks, rather than emote the action of it, they buy a drink from the NPC and drink it and let the game emote for them.

Medium: The players are doing some self-written emotes, and possibly some ongoing storylines, but not paying much attention to Tolkien lore. They may or may not use the game's pre-written emotes.

Heavy: Tolkien lore is generally followed, and some Turbine lore, if it's for things like Lossoth and Dunlendings. The game's pre-written emotes are almost never used as the emote. Attention is paid to separating what's In-character (IC) versus what's Out of Character (OOC). Depending on the players, they also might do RP while traveling, while in instances/quests, and might also do structured plots for others to RP in. Get out your Tolkien books, too, because many of them will stress the Tolkien lore, and some will go into great detail. No half-elves, no dwarves raised by Dunedain here.

One of the more important things, in my opinion, is to wait and be patient. Observe the other RP. While you can walk up to Light and Med RPers and just have your character say "Hi!", doing that with Heavy RPers will wind up just about the same as in real life: They'll stare at the stranger, and you, as a player, might mistake that for being ignored or shunned, when it's just an IC reaction. Before breaking into someone's RP, always watch to see what they're in the middle of RPing and whether you'd be interrupting something.

Start simple in concept, as well. It's easier to get and keep RP if you're just some shop owner in Bree, rather than making a super special elf or Ranger. One of my most-liked characters is just a cook at the Prancing Pony. For your character's biography, figure out a light backstory, or even ask someone for help in making the character's story. I personally just put in the characters height and weight and build (since, otherwise, all toons look the same), any distinct marks, voice accents. Things the other players would need to know, to RP with me. Then go from there and see how it goes. Good luck.

Favorite Dev Quote from 2009: Graal: The lack of an instant threat catch up skill is one of the differences in tanking between Wardens and Guardians, just like Wardens dont have a easily used forced taunt. It is unlikely, but not impossible that this will change. Bottom line...Dont die.

0_0 Eyes bleeding now . . . had no idea RP was so complicated. But this is super super helpful, thanks! Does the /e part signify it as an "emote" per se? Also, will it automatically insert your name in somewhere unless you have selected another player? Thanks, again.

Night is falling,
So ends this day.
The Road is now calling
And I must away.

0_0 Eyes bleeding now . . . had no idea RP was so complicated. But this is super super helpful, thanks! Does the /e part signify it as an "emote" per se? Also, will it automatically insert your name in somewhere unless you have selected another player? Thanks, again.

The /e does stand for emote. It's simply the text command to create one. You could type out /emote, but I just like to use the short one. It will automatically add your name to the front of the pose.

RP can go from very simple emotes to extremely complicated ones. I don't know which server you're starting on, but just be patient, keep looking, and you eventually will find folks to RP with.

Favorite Dev Quote from 2009: Graal: The lack of an instant threat catch up skill is one of the differences in tanking between Wardens and Guardians, just like Wardens dont have a easily used forced taunt. It is unlikely, but not impossible that this will change. Bottom line...Dont die.

It doesn't have to be. Be prepared, however for some brusque treatment if the person you are attempting to interact with doesn't' think you're doing it right. Or thinks your interpretation of "lore" is incorrect. I've been astonished at how rudely people can be treated, especially in the Prancing Pony.

It doesn't have to be. Be prepared, however for some brusque treatment if the person you are attempting to interact with doesn't' think you're doing it right. Or thinks your interpretation of "lore" is incorrect. I've been astonished at how rudely people can be treated, especially in the Prancing Pony.

That can happen, yeah. It can also be difficult to distinguish between someone who's new (and doesn't know any better) from someone who's willfully godmoding. Godmoding is any emote that forces an action on another character. RP can be complicated, or simple. A lot of it is just finding players who match your style. I liken it to movies. Adam Sandler fits his own movies, but he wouldn't have been a very good Aragorn in LoTR movies.

Favorite Dev Quote from 2009: Graal: The lack of an instant threat catch up skill is one of the differences in tanking between Wardens and Guardians, just like Wardens dont have a easily used forced taunt. It is unlikely, but not impossible that this will change. Bottom line...Dont die.

Yes, I have heard the many discourages about godmoding. Never done it, never will. And with regards to the brusque treatment, I have found it kind of funny that one person is a really strict, no-nonsense, calculating elf IC and super nice OOC. Meanwhile another one is super nice and mystic and knowledgeable IC but not as friendly and outgoing OOC. I realize that not everyone can get along when it comes to lore, that would be way too easy. But yes, I shall be prepared. For the meantime, I just sit and watch with a few conversations of my own if I think the character will be nice.

Night is falling,
So ends this day.
The Road is now calling
And I must away.

Yes, I have heard the many discourages about godmoding. Never done it, never will. And with regards to the brusque treatment, I have found it kind of funny that one person is a really strict, no-nonsense, calculating elf IC and super nice OOC. Meanwhile another one is super nice and mystic and knowledgeable IC but not as friendly and outgoing OOC. I realize that not everyone can get along when it comes to lore, that would be way too easy. But yes, I shall be prepared. For the meantime, I just sit and watch with a few conversations of my own if I think the character will be nice.

I'm glad you mentioned that, because, to heavy RP, it's very important to know that there's a difference between character and player. As an example, in the Harry Potter movies, Daniel Radcliffe is Harry and Tom Felton plays Draco Malfoy. Draco hates Harry and for most of the books/movies, they're rivals and enemies. The actors, however, are not the characters, and Daniel and Tom were actually friends throughout the filming.

To the same effect, someone RPing as a villain or crankpot sometimes has to make a concerted effort to be nice OOCly, so that people realize it's RP (acting).

Favorite Dev Quote from 2009: Graal: The lack of an instant threat catch up skill is one of the differences in tanking between Wardens and Guardians, just like Wardens dont have a easily used forced taunt. It is unlikely, but not impossible that this will change. Bottom line...Dont die.